"I have been in contact with medical professionals in this area to see if Jasper needs two hospitals," Hancock said. "The potential investors in this project do believe that Jasper could support another hospital. This area has supported two hospitals for 40 years."

Hancock said he was not at liberty to release any of the names of the potential investors and said it still has not been determined if the hospital would be a non-profit for for-profit establishment. But he said that local business owner Ernie Dominic is helping with the process.

Hancock said he became involved with this project three months ago and that "it has a lot of potential."

One key item in the project is the name of the hospital. He said he plans a meeting to Dr. Joe Dickerson soon to discuss possibly keeping the name of Dickerson Memorial Hospital in the facility if it reopens.

"That name has a lot of value in Jasper," Hancock said. "If not, then the hospital could potentially reopen as a Jasper regional hospital for the area."

Hancock presented the news to the JEDCO board with hopes of seeking financial opportunities from the economic development board.

He said if the facility re-opens it would bring 80-100 full-time jobs back into the community.

But JEDCO board members reminded Hancock that the corporation is not able to help fund medical facilities.

"I am seeking that your support for 80-100 jobs for Jasper," Hancock said.

JEDCO board members questioned whether the facility is locked in to becoming another hospital or it was exploring some other medical avenue.

"Right now, that is what I have done a lot of my work on (it reopening as a hospital)," Hancock said. "It would not take a lot of money to get the facility re-certified. It closed as a hospital, it should reopen as a hospital."

Greater Gulf Medical Alliance is the company that owned Dickerson Memorial Hospital when its troubles began last year. From returned payroll checks to a battle with medical icon Dr. Joe Wesley Dickerson, the hospital struggled to keep itself above water. Hospital lawyers filed Chapter 11 in federal bankruptcy court in Houston May 8, 2008.

On July 25, 2008, the hospital couldn't weather the impending financial troubles it had suffered and closed its doors.